Friday, October 14, 2005

The Grey Lady to shrink format?

The New York Times, currently with a width of 14 inches, is "considering going to a smaller width, but had not made a decision", the paper reported on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal had announced to reduce the width of its U.S. edition (see previous posting). Both moves are connected to the rising newsprint price (see former posting).

The New York Post writes that in all, the Times' "shrinkage would save more than $22 million a year in raw materials". It looks like Pelle Anderson's prediction that the Gray Lady will be transformed into a compact might come true one day. Newspaper designer Anderson said in September, "I think the future will make a liar out of Sulzberger. The New York Times will certainly be transformed into a compact format ... The derogatory term 'tabloid journalism' has largely lost its meaning in the rest of the world, and it will do so in New York as well, when the time comes for the grey old lady to slim dow" (see former posting).